England's Adam Lallana celebrates scoring his sides opening goal during the friendly match at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date November 15th, 2016 Pic David Klein/Sportimage

England 2-2 Spain: Adam Lallana scores before injury strikes in Wembley draw

Goals from Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy sealed a 2-2 friendly draw for England at home to Spain on Tuesday night.

England 2-2 Spain

International Friendly, Wembley Stadium
November 15, 2016

Goals: Lallana 9′ (pen), Vardy 48′; Aspas 90′, Isco 90+5′


After a comfortable 3-0 victory over rivals Scotland in their World Cup qualifying clash in the capital on Friday night, England welcomed Spain to Wembley for a Tuesday night friendly.

Gareth Southgate lined his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne and Jordan Henderson all starting.

Lallana took up the No. 10 role, and looked fired up from the start, pressing with tenacity and linking up well with Vardy, Raheem Sterling and Jesse Lingard.

It was Lallana’s inch-perfect cross to Vardy that led to England’s opener after just nine minutes, with the Leicester City striker going down under the challenge of ex-Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina to win a penalty, which Liverpool’s No. 20 stepped up to coolly dispatch.

Sevilla winger Vitolo, who spoke about the possibility of joining Liverpool in the future prior to the game, went close to equalising minutes later, but his low shot trickled wide.

Lallana served as England’s inspiration in the first 27 minutes, and that made his withdrawal through injury all the more disappointing, but the Three Lions were able to see out the rest of the half in the lead.

England's Jordan Henderson in action during the World Cup Qualifying Group F match at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date October 8th, 2016 Pic David Klein/Sportimage via PA Images

Southgate made two changes at half-time, bringing on Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton and Everton defender Phil Jagielka, and England kept up the pressure from kickoff.

It took Vardy just three minutes to add the Three Lions’ second, powering a header past Reina following a brilliant curling cross from Henderson.

Henderson almost made it 3-0 minutes later, but his low, angled effort drifted just wide of the post, with the England captain pushing forward to join the attack whenever possible.

With both managers allowed six substitutes, the second half quickly descended into a series of touchline-prompted stoppages, with former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas coming on for La Roja and ex-Reds youth Aaron Cresswell making his debut for the Three Lions.

Aspas made his mark in the 90th minute, curling a brilliant strike beyond Heaton into the top corner, before Isco struck late to make it 2-2 at full-time.

Clyne and Henderson remained on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, as Wembley saw out a disappointing end.


TIA Man of the Match: Adam Lallana

Referee: Ovidiu Alin Hategan

Attendance: 83,716

England: Hart (Heaton 46′); Clyne, Cahill (Jagielka 46′), Stones, Rose (Cresswell 79′); Dier, Henderson; Lingard, Lallana (Walcott 27′), Sterling (Townsend 65′); Vardy (Rashford 67′)

Subs not used: Pickford, Keane, Walker, Bertrand, Wilshere, Sturridge

Spain: Reina; Carvajal, Nacho, Inigo, Azpilicueta; Busquets (Nolito 78′), Thiago (Herrera 56′); Mata (Aspas 46′), Silva (Isco 64′), Vitolo (Koke 46′); Aduriz (Morata 64′)

Subs not used: De Gea, Asenjo, Roberto, Monreal, Bartra, Escudero, Callejon, Vazquez

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